Pocket file case



Oct. 9 1923,

H. STEINMEYER i=ooKET FILE CASE Filed April 22. 1922 Han:

INVENTOR By ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Patented Uct. 9, 1923.

UNITED STATES- PATENT oFFics,

HERMAN'N STEINMEYER, or new YORK; N. Y.

POCKET FILE CASE.

Application filed April 22, 1922. Serial No. 556,057;

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HERMANN STEIN- MEYER, a; citizen of Germany, and a resident of the city of New York, borougholt Manhattan, in the county and State of New;

York, hav invented a new and Improved Pocket File Case,- of which the following is a full, clear and exact description.

This invention relatesto an improvement dex which inclfudesmeans for renderingthe,

same adjustable to compensate for variations in the number of contents. Furthermore thG lIIV B lZLtflOIlaims to produce means,

for disposing the upper edge of the cards contained in the case out. of alignment whereby to facilitate the" handling and ma: nipulation ofthe-cards; V

As a still further object the invention contemplates in connection with a file case of the character describedmeans for sup porting the same from a table; desk, or the like, when the device is open;

The invention, furthercontemplates a, device of' the character described which is comparatively simple; in its construction and method of operation and whichivis highly eflicient in its purpose. 7

With the above recitedandother objects in view, the invention resides in the novel:

construction set forth in the following specification, particularlypointed out in the pendedclaims and" illustrated in the accompanying drawings,- it being understood that the right} is reserved to embodiments other than those, actually illustrated herein toe the full extent; indicated by the general meaning of the terms lIlyWliiCh the claims are egrpresfseda In the: drawing- Figure-l is a; centra-l'sect-ional view o-fa file ease constructed, in; accordance with the;

invention taken approXima-tely on the; line 1+1 of Fig; 2;andillustrating the same in,

open' position; v I l F o- 2 1 a transverse sectional- View taken position.

approximately on the line 2'2 ofiFig hl with the cards or contents removed.

Fig; 3 is a sectional view similar to-Figf.v

1 illustrating the case in closed position. Fig 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation with parts in section to disclose the under-,

lying structure. 4

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional View take approximately On theline 5 -5 of F ig. 1. i i

Referring to the drawings by characters.v

of reference, the file case includes-fa.body-1O, which is providedwith avrear wall',1'1, side walls 12 and inner and outerv bottom: walls 13 and 14: which are disposed at relative downward inclinations with respect to the,

rear wall. The upper edges of} the sidewalls.

12 are inclined correspondingly to thelinner. bottom wall 13. A coven consisting: of a;

front wall 15 anda top wall: 16 isihin'g'edly.

connected by a transverse pin 17 to the body,

adjacent thelower, portion thereof; and the? lower edge 18 of said-front wall 15: is de-' signed, when the cover isopento engagethe underside of the front edge of the inner bottom wall 13 to'dispose the. front wall 153 c at an inclination corresponding; tothednner bottom wall 13. The cover is provided with side flanges 19 which are designed; when/the device isclosed,, to extend Overfthe outer vside edges of the side walls 1 2;of! thebody-L The lower extremities of the flanges 19. are provided with inwardly projecting tea-tsQO.

which are adapted to snap inidepressionsfllr in the side walls 12 for maintaining the .cov'er.

in opened position against accidentalv or, casual displacement. The top wall 16 is;

disposed atan inclination or angle corre:

sponding to-the inclination or angleldtthe:

upper edges-of'the'side walls l2whereby the same snugly fits over, the upper endrofethe body when the device is in-closed position.

The free rear, edgeof thetopwall l6 iszpr05- vided with aspri'ng catch 22 which; engagesover and coacts with theupperedgeofl they rear wall l li to'retainthedevice inrclosedi A follower strip 23; preferably, constructed of resilient-'material and pro; videcl at its opposite ends, with angularlybent terminals-24; isndisposed transversely; of; the front wall 15 between the flanges 719 and; is longitudinally adjustable; with respeettoe; the front wall for limiting, thegraVitationaL separation of, the lower edges of the index 1 cards A when thecase isuop'ened. lower 23' is maintained in longitudinally ad:

- a hook 27 which is engageable over the follower 23. The lower edges of the cards A are respectively positioned between the convolutions of the spring 25 whereby when the case is opened and the hooked extremities .27

is engaged over the follower 23 the spring will be expanded whereby to'efi'ect positive relative separation of the lower edges. The angular disposition of the lower inner wall 13 and thecorresponding angular disposition of the front wall 15 when the case is opened effect disposal of the upper edges of the cards A out of'alignment whereby the user may readily manipulate thecards for obtaining the proper place. In order to permitof the set up of the case on a table, desk, or'the like, a supporting bail is provided, the arms3l of which are slidable within the guides 32 on the outerside of the rear wall 11. The terminals of the arms 31 are pro-- bail in its closed or extended position. When,

closed as illustrated in Fig. 3, the bail 30 is vided "With offset portions 33 which are adapted to respectively engage in the openings 34eand 35 of the guides to retain the in extended position the bail constitutes together with the forward edge of the front wall 15 asupport for the case .when in opened position. In use and operation when the case is shifted to engage the offsets 33 in the openings-35 of theguides and the follower 23 is shifted to dispose the same in flat contact with the front wall 15'.' It is, ofcourse, understood that where the element 25 is employed the hooked end 27 is detached from;

the follower prior to the closing of the case, To open the case the catch 22 is manipulated tofeffect' its release and the cover is swung downwardly and outwardly until the lower edge 18 thereof which extends beyond the pivot pin'.17 abuts and engages with the under forward edge of the inner bottom wall 13, which engagement limits the opening movement and at the same time disposes the front wall at aninclination corresponding to the inner bottom wall 13. When swung to thisposition the teats20 of the flanges 19 j engage within the depressions 21 to retain and hold the cover in proper position against accidental or casual closing. I It is, of course, understood that in this position the body of the case is held vertical, thereby permitting the lower edges of the cardsto gravitationallyseparate with respect to each other until theedge-of the foremost card contacts with the follower 23 which serves as a limit to the spreading or separating action of the lower edges. The followeris adjusted longitudinally of the front wall in accordance with-the number of index cards A contained in the case. If it is desired to set the case up on a table, desk, or the like, the bail 30 is pulled downwardly until the offsets 33 engage in the openings 34 of the guides 32. Where the element 25 is employed for effecting a positive and even separation of the lower edges of the cards, it is of courseunderstood that the lower edges of the cardswill be separately inserted between the convolutions of the same and when the case has been opened the element 25 will be expanded with its hooked forward end engaging over the follower. Upon releasing the hooked end 27, the element 25 will serve to retract or move the lower edges toward each other and withdraw the same into the confines of the body.

It will thus be seen that an extremely simple and inexpensive file case for housing index cards or indicia-bearing elements of this nature has been provided which affords convenient means for manipulating the cards or elements for locatingthe one desired. When not in use the casemay be foldedinto a compact article for carrying in the pocket of the user.

I claim:

1. A pocket file case comprising abody having an inclined lower wall and a cover pivoted thereto and adapted upon opening thereof to constitute an extension tray providing a continuation of the lower inclined wall. of the body for gravitationally effecting relative separation of the lower edges of the cards contained thereinto facilitate the manipulation of the. cards.

2. A pocket file case comprising a body having an inclined lowerwall. and a cover pivoted thereto and adapted upon opening the manipulationof the cards, and inter.

engageable means provided respectively on the body and cover for yieldably maintaining the cover in its extended open position.

3. A pocket file case comprising a body having an inclined lower wall and a cover pivoted thereto and adapted upon opening thereof to constitute an extensiontray pro viding a continuation of the lower inclinedwall of the body for gravitationally efiecting relativeseparation of the lower edges of the cards contained therein to facilitate the manipulation. of the cards, interengageable means-provided respectively on the body and cover for yieldably maintainingthe cover in its extended open position,

and a follower member carried by the cover and longitudinally adjustable therein for limiting the relative separation of the card contents.

4. A pocket file case comprising a body having an inclined lower. wall anda cover pivoted thereto and adapted upon opening thereof to constitute an extension tray providing a continuation of the lower inclined wall for the body for gravitationally effecting relative separation of the lower edges of the cards contained therein to facilitate the manipulation of the cards, interengageable means provided respectively on the body and cover for yieldably maintaining the cover in its extended open position, a

follower member carried by the cover'and longitudinally adjustable therein for limiting the relative separation of the card contents, and means secured to the bodyand engageable with the follower for effecting positive relative separation of the cards at their lower ends.

5. A pocket file case comprising a body viding a continuation of the lower inclined wall for the body for gavitationally effect a ing relative separation of the lower edges of the cards contained therein to facilitate the manipulation of the cards, interen gageable means provided respectively on the body and cover for yieldably maintaining the cover in its extended open position, a follower member carried by the cover and longitudinally adjustable therein for limiting the relative separation of the card contents, means secured to the body and engageable with the follower for effecting positive relative separation of the cards at their lower ends, and means carried by the body and projeota-ble from the lower edge thereof constituting together with the forward edge of the cover when in open posi:

tion means for supporting the case from a horizontal support.

HERMANN STEINMEYER. 

